Patna: In a massive crackdown on party rebels, the Janata Dal (United) headed by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar yesterday (Thursday) expelled four of its sitting parliamentarians and an outgoing Rajya Sabha member for indulging in “anti-party activities”.
The leaders who were shown the door include Jai Narayan Nishad, Sushil Kumar Singh, Purnamasi Ram, Mangani Lal Mandal, all Lok Sabha members, and Shivanand Tiwari, the outgoing Rajya Sabha member. A hint of the development in the offing became clear earlier in the day when the chief minister announced to initiate actions against the party rebels. He even spelled out the name of the one of rebels on being asked to reveal by the media persons.
“They all have been expelled for indulging in anti-party activities and hobnobbing with other parties,” party spokesman K.C. Tyagi told media on Thursday.
Of the four Lok Sabha members expelled, two of them, Nishad and Singh appear headed for the Bharatiya Janata Party whereas Mandal and Ram have shown their inclination towards Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
All of them were not on good terms with the chief minister and were no longer showing interest in party activities, JD-U sources allegeed.
The outgoing Rajya Sabha member, Tiwari, on the other hand, had fallen out with the chief minister after he publicly praised BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at a party rally in October last year.
However, he opened a front against the chief minister soon after he was denied re-nomination to the Upper House of the parliament. He even accused the chief minister of splitting the RJD, describing him as the main conspirator.
“The mover of the entire episode very politely told the media persons that he is ignorant about the event. I wish to salute his politeness,” Tiwari had said in a statement on Wednesday in an oblique reference to Kumar. Earlier he had attacked that chief minister describing him an arrogant person and dictator who treats shabbily to those who do not fall in line.
